Eliminating inside

Question
Hi nancy! My roommate and I have had our puppy for about 5-6 months now. We've been trying to house train him (we live in an apartment) and for a while he did good, but now he seems to be eliminating in the house just for attention. He doesn't do it when we aren't home. It's just while we are there and busy doing something (like studying or watching tv) and we aren't playing with him. It's gotten so bad that yesterday while we were watching a movie he jumped up onto the couch, on top of my roommate's boyfriend and peed on him/the couch. I'm not sure what to do! Nothing we try to do to help this seems to work. Please help! Thanks!
Kala

Answer
Kala,
The problem is that he is becoming the Alpha or boss of the house, because you have put him somehow into that position.  Going to the bathroom in the house is all part of his "owning you and the house"   You need to change all of your attitudes in the house, and do it quickly.  You have to put yourself in charge of your home and your dog.

The way you do this is to not let him do anything unless you tell him he can do it.  That includes eating, going out on the leash for a walk, he must sit, down stay and leave it on command.  He is not doing all this to get your attention, he is doing it to demand your obedience to him.  This is a natural thing a dog will do if he feels he has to do so because his owner is not doing it.  It is a "pack mentality".

So start taking command of your home.  Also, if you did not house break him in each room and teach him that the whole house is his den, he will not understand to NOT go to the bathroom in all the other rooms that you didn't train him in.

Hope this helps, he is young enough to turn this around with some concerted effort and consistency.
nancy